R. M. Martin

Adaptive control of modal properties of optical beams using photothermal effects

We present an experimental demonstration of adaptive control of modal properties of optical beams. The control is achieved via heat-induced photothermal actuation of transmissive optical elements. We apply the heat using four electrical heaters in thermal contact with the element. The system is capable of controlling both symmetrical and astigmatic aberrations providing a powerful means for in situ correction and control of thermal aberrations in high power laser systems. We demonstrate a tunable lens with a focusing power varying from minus infinity to -10 m along two axes using SF57 optical glass. Applications of the proposed system include laser material processing, thermal compensation of high laser power radiation, and optical beam steering.

The advanced LIGO input optics

The advanced LIGO gravitational wave detectors are nearing their design sensitivity and should begin taking meaningful astrophysical data in the fall of 2015. These resonant optical interferometers will have unprecedented sensitivity to the strains caused by passing gravitational waves. The input optics play a significant part in allowing these devices to reach such sensitivities. Residing between the pre-stabilized laser and the main interferometer, the input optics subsystem is tasked with preparing the laser beam for interferometry at the sub-attometer level while operating at continuous wave input power levels ranging from 100 mW to 150 W. These extreme operating conditions required every major component to be custom designed. These designs draw heavily on the experience and understanding gained during the operation of Initial LIGO and Enhanced LIGO. In this article, we report on how the components of the input optics were designed to meet their stringent requirements and present measurements showing how well they have lived up to their design.

Thermal effects in the Input Optics of the Enhanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory interferometers.

Katherine L. Dooley, a) Muzammil A. Arain, b) David Feldbaum, Valery V. Frolov, Matthew Heintze, Daniel Hoak, c) Efim A. Khazanov, Antonio Lucianetti, d) Rodica M. Martin, Guido Mueller, Oleg Palashov, Volker Quetschke, e) David H. Reitze, f) R. L. Savage, D. B. Tanner, Luke F. Williams, and Wan Wu g) University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA LIGO Livingston Observatory, Livingston, LA 70754, USA Institute of Applied Physics, Nizhny Novgorod 603950, Russia LIGO Hanford Observatory, Richland, WA 99352, USAWe present the design and performance of the LIGO Input Optics subsystem as implemented for the sixth science run of the LIGO interferometers. The Initial LIGO Input Optics experienced thermal side effects when operating with 7 W input power. We designed, built, and implemented improved versions of the Input Optics for Enhanced LIGO, an incremental upgrade to the Initial LIGO interferometers, designed to run with 30 W input power. At four times the power of Initial LIGO, the Enhanced LIGO Input Optics demonstrated improved performance including better optical isolation, less thermal drift, minimal thermal lensing, and higher optical efficiency. The success of the Input Optics design fosters confidence for its ability to perform well in Advanced LIGO.

High-vacuum-compatible high-power Faraday isolators for gravitational-wave interferometers

Faraday isolators play a key role in the operation of large-scale gravitational-wave detectors. Second-generation gravitational-wave interferometers such as the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and Advanced Virgo will use high-average-power cw lasers (up to 200 W) requiring specially designed Faraday isolators that are immune to the effects resulting from the laser beam absorption–degraded isolation ratio, thermal lensing, and thermally induced beam steering. In this paper, we present a comprehensive study of Faraday isolators designed specifically for high-performance operation in high-power gravitational-wave interferometers.

Small optic suspensions for Advanced LIGO input optics and other precision optical experiments

We report on the design and performance of small optic suspensions developed to suppress seismic motion of out-of-cavity optics in the input optics subsystem of the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory. These compact single stage suspensions provide isolation in all six degrees of freedom of the optic, local sensing and actuation in three of them, and passive damping for the other three.